FC Edinburgh's Kieran MacDonald says club must get full-time monkey off their back

FC Edinburgh's Kieran MacDonald says it's about time the club adds the division's full-time teams to their hit list.

The Citizens have tasted victory against every side in Scottish football's third tier this season apart from Dunfermline, Queen of the South and Falkirk, who they host at Meadowbank this weekend.

In the seven fixtures contested against full-time clubs so far, Alan Maybury's men have been outscored 17-1, Ryan Shanley netting a last-minute penalty in the 4-1 defeat at Palmerston in September.

And MacDonald, who started his first match since October in the 2-1 defeat to Alloa almost a fortnight ago following a knee problem, says it's a statistic they have to put right.

FC Edinburgh's Kieran MacDonald. Picture: Tommy Lee.

"We have found it more difficult against the full-time teams and results show that," the 29-year-old full-back explained. "We've played Falkirk twice already and lost 3-0 and 2-0 so it's just about us working harder to get a result this time. The gaffer has done his homework on them so he might try and change it up this week. Against the full-time clubs we may have to be that bit more wary.

"We have given both Falkirk and Dunfermline a run for their money this season even though the scoreline suggests otherwise. We are where we are in the league for a reason. I think if we can beat Falkirk on Saturday then that would be a big statement to the rest of the teams in the division that we mean business and we plan on staying up the top end of the table.

"I think League One is one of the tightest in Scottish football so we know there are teams just below us. The gaffer never speaks about what's behind us and instead chooses to focus what's in front of us.

"It's definitely Dunfermline's league to lose now. If we could pick up a couple of wins and they slip, then we might be able to reel them in again."

MacDonald, similarly to the whole of Scottish football, was blown away by sixth tier Darvel after their Scottish Cup heroics against Aberdeen.

He added: "It was incredible. I know quite a few of the boys and the manager well. I spoke to them before the game and they were confident. They were the better team so as mad as it sounds, I wasn't shocked. Good on them - it was a great result."